Electrical connecter



P 1938- H. BISSELL 2,129,811

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed Sept. 9, 1935 TT RNEYS Patented Sept; 13, 1938 2,129,811 ELECTRICAL comma Carl E. Bissell, Syracuse, N. 3., assignor to Grouse-Hinds Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a cor- .poration of New York Application September 9, 1935, Serial No. 39,755

3 Claims. (Cl. 173-332) This invention relates-in general to electrical connecters, and more particularly to an electrical connecter for detachably connecting twoelectrical conductors together.

The invention is particularly useful for de- Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the connecter.

Figure 3 is an end elevation on lines 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a lengthwise sectional view of the In order that the connecter may be quickly tachably connecting a ground wire to a gasoline parts shown in Figure 1, being taken on line 1-5, tank truck, or the like. It is a matter of com- Figure 1.

mon knowledge that the continuous movement As here shown, the body of the connecter connof gasoline in a metallic tank truck, which is prises two sections i and i I. These sections are insulated from the ground by its rubber tires, substantially semi-circular in cross section. The 10 builds up an electrical charge in the truck oi! sections i0 and Ii are preferably formed of cast appreciable high potential. This obviously premetal and the lower or main section I0 is formed sents a hazardous situation, inasmuch as any at one end with a rigid jaw designated generconnection between the tank and the ground, ally as H, and with a pair of spaced apart up- 5 suitable to pass an electric current, is apt to rewardly extending bosses l3 located adjacent the suit in a spark caused by such electrical discharge base portion of the jaw II. The upper body porand cause the tank of gasoline to become ignited. tion "is provided at one end with a boss M This situation is partially overcome by securing which is arranged between the upstanding bosses a metallic chain to the truck, permitting the li andis pivoted to the same by a suitable pin free end to drag upon the road, thereby effecting or rivet l5, whereby the rear end of the body go a path for the continual discharge of the high section II may be swung upwardly away from potential generated by the movement of the gasthe rear end Of e y Section N about e oline. However, in a number of municipalities Divo 5- The reel e d portions 0f the the use of the chain as a. ground medium is prody sections t. I, respectively, ar in t n n hibited. Also, it is known that gasoline flowing ture of substantially flat bosses extending outg free in the atmosphere, for example flowing out wardly from the body sections [0, II, and are of a hose or pipe, will generate an appreciably formed with complemental semi-circular recesses high voltage which, if not immediately and suitto form a constricted opening l8 through which ably conducted to ground, may cause aspark rethe ground wire W is brought into the body sulting in a serious explosion. of the connecter. The end portions l8, l1, act 30 An object of this invention is an electrical n the natur 01 a w e 0 Cable 8 D, a d t e connecter which, may be quickly and convenientinner complem nta fa s a e v d w th one ly attached to some suitable portion of the truck, or ore inwardly extending bs The pas for example by a snap action, and which is per body s o ll 15 held in pe engagealso connected to a wire properly grounded. ment with the ground wire by screws 20 located 35 A further object of this invention is a conon each side of the passage i8; As here shown, necter of the type referred to which, by its conthe screws 20 pass through suitable apertures struction, will not be damaged in the event the formed in the rear end portion ll of the section driver, or operator, forgets to disconnect the II and thread into section it of the section I0.

ground wire before he drives of! with the truck. e d 13 15 formed with 8 ansv y 40 A further object of the invention is a connecter extending groove and the forward Portion of the type referred to which consists of a miniof the jaw tapers downwardly and forwardly, as mum number of parts, and is so designed that at 22. a it may be readily and quickly connected to the A binding screw 23 is threaded into the under ground wire of the electrical system. side of the body section III adiacentthe base of 45 The invention consists in the novel features the rigid .law a the-Section is Provided and in the combinations and constructions herewit an ape e 24 t0 P t e ba e e d o inafter set forth and claimed. the ground wire W to be looped under the head In describing this invention, reference is had 01 the binding Screw to the accompanying drawing in which like char- I Preferably, the jaw I2 is formed with a lengthso acters designate corresponding parts in all the e extending rib arranged On each Side Of views. the jaw. This rib adds materially to the rigidity Figure 1 is a plan view of the electrical conof the jaw l2, and also acts as a guard or pronecter showing a portion of the conductor and tection forthe head of the binding s r w 23. ground, wire to which it is connected. u

attached to a conductor, or some suitable part of the gasoline tank truck, the upper body section Ii carries an opposing jaw 21. This jaw 21 is in the nature of a flat metallic spring, the inner end of which is connected to the rear portion of the body section III as by rivets, welding or etc., and the outer end of the jaw 21 is curved upwardly or away from the jaw i2, as at 28. With this construction, the connecter may be quickly attached to the conductor by simply pushing the outer ends of the jaws I2, 21 against the conductor, with the result that the jaw 21 will spring upwardly or away from the Jaw l2, and permit the conductor to enter between the jaws and snap into the transverse groove 2! in the rigid jaw i2.

The conductor, to which the connecter is attached, may be in the nature of' a ring or eye member 30 attached to a portion of the truck frame 3|, asby rivets 32.

.Generally, at filling stations where the tank trucks are filled from large gasoline tanks holding several thousand gallons, and at service stations where the gasoline is transferred from the tank truck to the underground tanks of the service station, it has been common practice to ground the frame of the truck before transfer of the gasoline into the tank truck, or from the same. In these instances, the ground wire has been clamped, in one manner or another, to the frame of the truck and consuming an appreciable amount of time on the part of the operator and then after the tank has been either filled or emptied, the driver forgets to disconnect the ground wire and starts to drive the truck away, with the result that the ground cable is either broken, or the electrical system to which it is attached is damaged.

It will be observed that with my connecter, if the truck is driven away, the resilient jaw 21 permits the ring 30 to ride upwardly out of the transverse groove 2| 0! the rigid jaw, and due to the fact that the ground wire or cable W is securely. gripped between the rear end portions l6, l1, there is no possibility of breaking the electrical connection between the wire and the body 01' the connecter. It will also be noted that it is an extremely simple matter to connect the ground wire to the section ID by simply removing the screws .20 which permits the entire upper body section II to be swung out of the way, whereby the end of the ground wire W may be quickly secured under the head of the binding screw 23, the body section II swung toward the section III, and the ground wire clamped between the end portions l8, H; by tightening the screws 20.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical connecter for detachably connecting a cable to a conductor comprising a body provided at one end with a rigid jaw, a member pivoted at one end to the body between'the ends thereof, said member being movable about its pivot to bring the free end thereof into juxtaposition with the end of the body opposite to said rigid jaw to clamp the cable to the body, a resilient jaw carried by said member and arranged in opposed relation to said rigid jaw when said member is in cable clamping position to retain the conductor in frictional engagement with said jaw, means for electrically connecting the cable to the body, and means operable to maintain said pivoted member in cable clamping position.

2. An electrical connecter for detachabiy connecting a cable to a conductor comprising a body provided with a rigid jaw and being formed with a. recess extending from the base of said jaw to the opposite end of the body, a member pivoted to the body adjacent the base of said jaw and being movable about its pivot toward the body to form a cover for said recess'and to bring theiree end of said member into juxtaposition with the end of the body to clamp the cable to the body, a resilient jaw carried by said member and extending in opposed relation to said rigid jaw to irictionally retain said conductor in engagement .with the rigid jaw, and means operable to maintain said pivoted member in cable clamping position.

3. An electrical connecter for detachably connecting a cable to a conductor comprising a body provided with opposed jaws yieldingly separable to receive theconductor snap fashion, said body being provided with a recess extending lengthwise thereoi, a member pivoted to the body and being movable about its pivot toward the body to form a cover for said recess and to clamp the cable to the body, means for electrically securing the cable to the body and means operable to maintain said pivoted member in cable clamping position.

CARL H. BISSELL. 

